Frozen Foods: How To Prepare, Package, Freeze, Cook (sound)

[Music] Frozen Foods how to prepare freeze package and cook them it sounds like a pretty large order but it's really very simple so simple in fact that all you need to know about it can be told in this little 24-page bulletin edited and prepared by General Electric consumers Institute here's the GE consumers Institute in real life and by real life I mean just that there's plenty of activity around here all of the time home economists food and nutrition authorities and editors of women's magazine from all over the country and even from abroad come to visit the GE consumers Institute to seek and compare notes on the latest developments on all homemaking problems here they watch demonstrations or hear lectures on the preparation and preservation of foods and this is the GE laboratory kitchen you've heard so much about the place where Homemakers and home economists learn new and better ways of doing things by putting on a smok and actually proving them out for themselves and it's here too that findings of The Institute laboratory are checked by and for practical application well if it isn't Dr Donald K Trester himself Dr Trester in case any of you ladies haven't heard pioneered the frozen food industry in the bird's eye Laboratories as far back as 1929 since that time he has been studying food freezing at the New York experiment station and in the General Electric Laboratories and is now manager of General Electrics consumers Institute in addition he hey what goes on here no ladies this isn't trick photography for demonstration purposes the whole Center section of the GE leure Hall kitchen appears as though by Magic everything including the kitchen sink and the glass partition Allison Wonderland and her looking glass has nothing on us or uh Dr Trester could we interrupt you just long enough for you to welcome a group which has gathered here to learn what this home freezing of foods is all about although scientists have been studying the freezing of food for many years it is only recently that the methods have been so simplified as to be applicable in the home kitchen this is largely because of a better understanding of enzyme inactivation you ladies are I presume not so much interested in how to inactivate enzymes as you are in how to produce frozen food that is not only highly attractive but also nutritious and appetizing I can think of no better way for you to learn how to do this than to watch the entire process from beginning to end right here in the lecture hall kitchen and now Mrs fellows would you please take over thank you Dr Trester ladies meet Mrs fellows Who as a member of the General Electric consumers Institute staff has been carrying on experimental work and giving demonstrations for 8 years which I should say is long enough to learn most of the ansers businesslike too you'll notice these must be some of the vegetables I saw her gathering this morning she likes to grow her own and for two very good reasons first she plants only the variety that has proven to be best for freezing for instance a seavoy type spinach is better because of its Leaf texture you'll find that's rule number one on the first page of the GE consumers Institute Frozen Foods bulletin and the second reason Mrs fellows prefers to grow her own for freezing is so that she can be sure her vegetables are of just the right maturity and Absolutely Fresh but let's get back to the actual preparation of spinach for freezing be sure to break off heavy tough stalks they take up loads of valuable space and and no one likes them anyway if you discover any yellow or insect infested leaves toss them out too freezing keeps vegetables at Peak Perfection but it can't improve a poor product this washing in cold running water is very important for all vegetables but especialist so for spinach or do you actually enjoy the sensation of grinding gritty greens between your mowers looks like the Sorting cleaning and washing is about finished it doesn't take long in a movie does it there one pound exactly no more no less which is all that can be scaled uniformly at one time but just between us girls I don't think one leaf more or less makes a whale of a lot of difference now for the scalding the operation necessary to preserve color palatability and vitamins pH look at that steam notice how the water boils that's what we call a rolling boil and you notice Mrs fellows keeps the range temperature switch at the high position so that the water is kept at that rolling boil uh-oh cold spinach and a cold wire basket sure cool the enthusiasm of that rolling boil but not for long the water gets up steam quickly then and not until then Mrs fellow starts to time the scalding a table on page seven of the booklet gives the exact time for scalding or steaming each individual vegetable you'll notice Mrs fellows keeps the spinach constantly agitated so that every bit of the surface of every leaf is exposed to the scalding that means the 2 and A2 minutes are up and the scalding is finished things sure happen fast around here and that's no joke either now Mrs fellow sets the timer for the chilling process 5 minutes if the tap water is under 60° it is satisfactory for chilling but the colder it is the better if necessary ice may be added to bring it down just as in the case of the scalding the spinach must be constantly agitated throughout the chilling process to prevent matting and expose every bit of surface to the cold water which will prevent any start of bacterial action in the spinach before it is frozen the quicker vegetables freeze the better which is another good reason for having them thoroughly chilled before they are placed in the freezer there's that gong again the chilling period is over and we Pro proceed on to the final step in the preparation of spinach for freezing to drain a leafy vegetable such as spinach it's necessary to squeeze it gently to remove all of the chilling water but you'll notice Mrs fellows does not get overzealous in the packing a little tamping is okay even desirable but cramming is definitely out and haste will make waste when it comes to sealing the carton notice that Mrs fellows presses the air out of the inner envelope before she folds it once carefully and firmly then she applies the wall not hot iron to form an airtight seal then she makes the second fold and heat seals it this done she labels and dates the carton there are several types of packages available for freezing and storage of different types of vegetables this one for instance consists of a carton with an inner bag and here a heavily waxed liquid tight carton which does not require an inner bag and now Mrs fellow's preparation for freezing is completed she immediately places the cartons in the home freezer for freezing bearing in mind however a couple of simple precautions such as placing the new carton in actual contact with the metallic freezing surfaces and she leaves plenty of space around them for free circulation of air to hasten freezing which is all there is to it except for making sure that the temperature is at least 0° F yes sir old Mr zero lives here all right BR he can have it close the door Mrs fellows it's getting chilly here and that ladies shows just how simple the preparation of spinach for freezing is well of all things here's Mrs fellows with exactly one pound of peas all shelled and ready for scalding everything's so handy around here just like home isn't it peas or a similar vegetable must be distributed evenly so that steam will come into direct contact with each individual vegetable steaming is a variation in the scalding process however in the case of vegetables such as corn beans and peas more nutrient value is retained if they are scalded in Steam instead of boiling water a stand like this is ideal for steaming but any makeshift is satisfactory so long as the peas are kept above the water incidentally very little water is needed a/ in in the bottom of the kettle is sufficient if you aren't so fortunate as to have a minute minder on your range time the operation by the second hand of a watch or an electric clock put the cover back on the kettle and start timing for 90 seconds and watch closely seconds count here and from 90 seconds of steam directly to 5 minutes of cold water sounds like one of those fancy bath treatments that are supposed to make you feel fit as a fiddle doesn't it I don't know what it does to the human body but it sure works wonders for peas look at that color even Nature's Own PE green is brightened and good firm texture too and these peas laders will retain all of their pristine Beauty and summertime freshness until they Grace someone's dining table some blizzard the day next winter and in only 12 minutes we've covered the important points of freezing vegetables and are ready to move on to the fruit Department how about some fruit Mrs F ooh strawberries boy oh boy could I go for a dish of those right now say they can't do that to me or can they and so with fond Recollections and a feeling of utter frustration we turn to the first step in the preparation of fruit for freezing which is a thorough washing there's more to this washing than just a gentle immersion in a pan of water swirl them around pretty vigorously so that every surface is exposed to the iced water after you're convinced they're clean hul and cut out any green or bruised spots thorough chilling is important to firm the berries up and speed actual freezing time also thorough chilling prevents very rip berries from bleeding bleeding none of the juice is lost now if you're going to freeze your be's hole you'll need a cold sugar syrup to prevent oxidation and loss of flavor and vitamins during freezing and storage how to make the syrup it's simple to one cup of boiling water add two measuring cups of sugar slowly stir continuously until the sugar is entirely dissolved a table in the GE booklet gives the proper proportions for using either corn syrup or sugar but let's get on with a strawberries there's not much left to do merely fill the carton to within 3/4 in from the top leaving room for freezing expansion add enough syrup to cover about 1/2 cup syrup to each pint package put on the cover and the job is done many persons prefer to freeze sliced strawberries since the flavor and color are retained better the procedure is just about the same except that yes you've guessed it you slice them slice to about 3/8 in thickness for freezing add a pound of sugar to each four or five lounds of berries and mix it gently for about a half minute the sugar quickly penetrates the slices thus protecting the fruit from oxidation and loss of flavor then pour it into the carton making sure you got all the juice from the bottom of the bowl fill to a half inch from the top seal the carton and there's the makings of the best strawberry shortcake you ever tasted there's that gal on the go again does this sort of thing keep up forever but look what's coming up soft ripe freest Stone yellow peaches of the proper variety variety is particularly important in freezing peaches and JH Hales are best remember notice that Mrs fellow handles them carefully soft peaches bruise very easily if they don't they're not ripe enough to freeze wow look at that steam now immerse the peaches in boiling water for just a wee bit of scalding to loosen the skin so that it will peel off easily the scalding time is 2 minutes meanwhile Mrs fellows prepares a pan of cold water for chilling the peaches there's our old friend the gong again 2 minutes on the button how time flies scalding time is up that's getting into hot water and out of it in a hurry and now for a good cooling off in running tap water now it's time to peel the peaches rub the surface gently and the skin practically rolls off after the scalding if you encounter any bruises or imperfections cut them out then comes slicing make slices about 1/2 in thick you'll notice that Mrs fellow's slice is only enough peaches to fill one carton at a time up to within 3/4 of an inch of the top it's particularly important in the case of peaches to slice only enough to fill a single carton at a time for they Brown very rapidly when exposed to the air now she pours in enough to cover about 1/2 cup of syrup for a pint of slices and the 65% solution of sugar syrup used for the berries is satisfactory for peaches too now the labeling and off to the freezer they go that good people concludes the demonstration so far as fruits and vegetables are concerned and to you Mrs fellows thanks a million and now we leave the General Electric consumers Institute because when it comes comes to cutting Meats for freezing most people will need an expert such as Mr Bob Reber here how about it Mr Reber ready to start okay let's go and here it comes 150 lbs of the choicest beef just a big beautiful hunk of steaks and roasts notice Eskimo Joe Mr reber's helper You' dress like that too if you worked in zero temperatures how about fixing us up a nice rolled roast Mr Reber why not the man says of course it isn't necessary to cut the bone out of meat for freezing but it saves space for Frozen storage and it's easier to package and the longer you intend to keep frozen meat the more important is packaging take this rolled rib roast for instance first it is wrapped in coated vegetable par M paper which is unaffected by Grease Blood air or moisture and protects the natural moisture of the meat and then a stockinet is applied this presses the wrapper tightly against the meat which minimizes the possibility of loss of moisture and also makes it easier to handle with less chance of breaking the wrapping in handling a couple of stakes coming up says Mr Reber and he slices off tier after tier of choices sirloins a couple he said I wish my butcher would count like that then he trims off Superfluous bone ends save space remember Stakes are then placed in a carton lined with moisture proof cellophane after the carton is closed it is wrapped and heat sealed in another protective covering of moistureproof glassine for sometimes it's called ground steak sometimes it's just plain hamburger it may depend upon the quality of beef or it may depend on whether you buy it at Joe's Diner or the Ritz anyway here's the way it's made and for freezing here's how it should be packaged first of all shape it into Pates size to your own and your family's appetite then place and a cellophane line container But be sure that there are two layers of moisture vaporproof material between each Patty and then seal in a moisture vaporproof wrapper uh-oh looks like poke chops coming up y all now Chillin M and that it is Mr Reber has finished cutting out the pork loin and it's ready for cutting into chops for packaging place the chops in a carton much the same as for hamburgers keeping each layer of chops separated by two sheets of moistureproof cellophane which keeps them from sticking together and facilitates removal then the carton is closed Ed and the outer moisture proof cellophane is heat sealed and pork sausage yes it's very much like hamburger except that sage and other seasoning are added to give it flavor use your own judgment or experience on this but no salt because it may cause the fat to turn rancid if the sausage is stored for more than 6 months for freezing packaging in heavily waxed cartons is about the best because they are liquid tight and moisture vapor proof making an airtight moisture proof package similar to the waxed carton used in the case of sliced strawberries for that matter a heavily waxed cup will also serve as an excellent container two birds of a feather but where's the feather Mr Reber has his eye on that roasting chicken which he starts to prepare for freezing notice he separates the giblets for future reference a thorough washing of course giblets are wrapped separately in moistureproof cellophane and placed inside the fowl which is then arranged to occupy a minimum of space and wrapped in vaporproof moisture proof paper a stock AET is then applied for saf keeping remember if meat is wrapped Loosely the surface desiccates and the fat becomes Rancid remember I said expert just watch Mr Reber cut up a foul for freasy the giblets are wrapped in moisture proof cellophane and placed in the heavily waxed carton with the disjointed chicken the carton is then closed and the outer moisture proof cellophane is heat sealed you may not be able to get weak fish all the year round but that's no longer a reason why you can't enjoy weak fish filets summer or winter a thorough washing of course followed by a dip into a 10% solution of brine which seals in the juices here again each individual filet is wrapped in cellophane placed in a carton which is then wrapped with moisture prooof glassine which is heat sealed for additional protection how would you like to have these speckled Beauties in the frying pan next fall or winter somebody will trout are pretty easy to freeze merely wash them first then gut then wash again thoroughly inside and out after cutting off head and tail they are ready for wrapping the procedure is just the same as in the case of the weak fish filets individually wrapped placed in carton which is wrapped and sealed and now I'm Mr Reber has shown us how all these products should be prepared and packaged for the freezer the rolled rib roast steaks hamburger pork chops pork sausage roasting chicken and Fry Cuts weak fish filets and trout thanks Mr reer so you see there is no longer any such thing is out of season for vegetables fruits Meats fowl and fish for instance let's skip over a few months and pay a little visit to a typical American Family who live here say next December hello who's this her face is familiar why of course it's Mrs Moore it only seems a few minutes ago instead of way last summer that she was in the audience at the frozen food demonstration and here she is in December with her arms full of frozen foods from her own home freezer that package she left out there must be meat that she wants to thaw yes a rolled rib roast of beef believe it or not one of the fastest methods of thawing frozen meat is with an electric fan it blows the cold air away sure it would thaw gradually if left in her refrigerator or she could let it stand at room temperature but it would take over twice as long to thaw allow 45 minutes per pound for fan thawing 3 hours for this one 2 3 4 lound incidentally meat that has been th is cooked just the same length of time as that you get from your butcher e there's no need of a fan for thrwing fruits or vegetables however unless you're in a hurry these strawberries for instance M strawberries which will Tha in a couple of hours at ordinary room temperature who would ever know that these bright red berries fresh as in peak season had been frozen for months when it comes to vegetables with the exception of corn on the cob they don't need to be thought at all before cooking you merely put 1/4 cup of water in the saucepans turn on the heat and when the water comes to a boil put in the vegetables and the thrift cooker the corn in this Pan the spinach and in this Pan the peas in a minute or two the contents of the pans will have softened up enough to be broken up with a fork but don't start timing until the pans are steaming again then is when things really start cooking 4 to 6 minutes for spinach 6 to 8 minutes for peas and now all Mrs Moore has to do is powder her nose for dinner and here it is the finished product and if you think the product isn't about to be finished keep an eye on young Tommy and Sally to say nothing of pop and Mom just see how that knife slithers through that beef meat that a few hours ago had been frozen hard as a rock for months and spinach green as the day it was grown Peas the better for freezing corn on the cob in Winter hey Pop save some for me of course I can now talk about the color and vitamin content of frozen foods but the main thing this scene tells us is it's awful good eating too isn't it Tommy but don't talk with your mouth fo and who says kids don't like spinach e ooh Strawberry Shortcake and strawberry selling a top winter prices oh I forgot Mrs Moore picked these in her own garden last summer pretty cheap luxury I call it and pretty is the word good ask Tommy he knows and it's seconds he's after and seconds he gets which is all right for Tommy but uh hey Mom I mean uh Mrs Moore I mean hey Mom will you save some for me huh will you Mom honest a GE Mom You're Swell oh Brothers so I'm finally going to get those strawberries and you too ladies can have the same treats for yourselves and your family if you will follow the simple directions in the 24-page booklet on how to prepare freeze package and cook frozen foods published by General Electric consumers Institute in Bridgeport Connecticut thanks a lot for coming goodbye now [Music]